Man's Work, Woman's Work Guest Post by Multi-Genre Author Robert Germaux

I’m welcoming multi-genre author Robert Germaux to the DIY Mom Blog today. Bob has several books, published on Amazon. He’s proven that he’s a versatile and entertaining author who’s comfortable writing in just about any genre. Bob also has a knack for writing about many things a lot of people can relate to.

Read on to find out Bob’s take on man’s work vs. woman’s work. I promise you that it’s definitely not how it sounds J

"Man's Work, Woman's Work" by Robert Germaux

You might get the idea that my wife does most of the cooking in the Germaux household, but you’d be wrong. Cynthia actually does all the cooking, and she has for a long time. The first two years of our marriage, I was already teaching, but Cynthia was still in college. Thus, she had more free time than I did. Plus, she loved preparing meals for her husband, and that husband loved eating those meals. It didn’t hurt that Cynthia was, and still is, a great cook. Her baked pineapple has achieved legendary status in my family and often tops the Most Requested category at holiday gatherings.

     After Cynthia graduated and embarked on her own teaching career, she suddenly had nowhere near as much free time, but she still continued to prepare all our meals, at least the ones we had at home. It wasn’t that I couldn’t cook. I lived in off-campus apartments my last few years in college, and my roommates and I took pride in cooking most of our dinners ourselves, including the occasional made-from-scratch dessert. BTW, I’m told I made a mean tuna noodle casserole back in the day.

Once both Cynthia and I were creating lesson plans, correcting papers, calling parents, attending faculty meetings, etc., we fell into a routine that pretty much set the tone for the rest of our careers and into retirement. Cynthia still did all the cooking, but on weekends, she often made enough chili or manicotti or corn pie or meat loaf or whatever to have leftovers during the week. Also, we’ve been fortunate enough to live in areas that have a wide variety of restaurants that serve good casual fare, so we often had an early dinner a couple days a week at those establishments. (And, actually, when you eat breakfast at 4:30, as we did when we were still working, dinner at four that afternoon isn’t really that early.)

Okay, I know it would appear that I was getting the better part of that deal, since I was still doing none of the cooking. And trust me, I’ve gotten by far the better part of the deal since the day I married Cynthia. But I do try to help. I’ve always done almost all the cleaning up after our meals, and Cynthia will tell you that I’m an excellent chef’s assistant in the kitchen, getting things out of the cupboard or refrigerator when she needs them, putting them away when she doesn’t, cleaning pots and pans when she’s finished with them. What cooking skills I once possessed all those years ago quickly went dark, as it were, due to a lack of practice, but I’m okay with that. Far more important, so is Cynthia.


We’re happy with the arrangement, just as we are in other areas of our lives. For instance, she doesn’t like to drive. I do. So I do most (not all) of our driving. Neither of us actually enjoys ironing, but it has to be done, so Cynthia irons her clothes and I iron mine, a skill I was lucky enough to learn at the age of fourteen. Another thing neither of us likes to do is yardwork, so we don’t. We’re able to pay people to mow our lawn in the summer, and the shrubs and bushes we have on our property are kept looking good by a guy who comes twice a year to fertilize, trim, etc.

Cynthia and I have never defined any kind of work as being something to be done by the man or woman of the house. The important thing isn’t who does what. It’s finding that balance that makes both parties happy. It’s been working for us for forty-nine years, so we may be on to something. But that doesn’t mean our balance would work for you and the other half of your relationship. The two of you are the ones (the only ones) to determine that. In the end, don’t think of any job as man’s work or woman’s work. It’s just work. Do it well and, if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll be rewarded with some of that baked pineapple.

Robert Germaux is offering free review copies of his latest book “More Grammar Sex”, which is not surprisingly about sex. In his usual offbeat, comedic fashion, Bob has compiled some of his favorite “thoughts on life's little moments, minor annoyances and unexpected delights.

ABOUT ROBERT GERMAUX

Both my parents were readers. I'm talking stacks-of-books-on-their-nightstands readers. So it's no surprise that an early age, I, too, became an avid reader. Everything from sports books (especially baseball) to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, to almost anything about distant and exotic places. I've always enjoyed putting words on paper, but the writer in me didn't fully emerge until I retired after three decades of teaching high school English.

I quickly wrote two books aimed at middle school readers, at which point my wife urged me to try a novel for adults. As is usually the case, my wife Cynthia's idea was a good one. Over the next few years, I wrote several books about Pittsburgh private eye Jeremy Barnes, including "Hard Court" and the recently released "In the Eye." I also wrote "Small Talk" and "One by One," both featuring Pittsburgh police detective Daniel Hayes.

Along the way, I took a brief hiatus from the detective genre to write "The Backup Husband," the plotline of which came to me one day when I was playing the What-if game.

I then tried my hand at writing humorous essays, which resulted in "Grammar Sex (and other stuff)" and its sequel, "More Grammar Sex." Coming soon is "Small Bytes," the first Jeremy Barnes novel, to be followed by two other JB mysteries, "Leaving the LAW" and "Speak Softly."

I love interacting with my readers and getting their input on my stories and characters. Please feel free to contact me via my website roberttgermaux.wordpress.com.

New Detective Novel "One by One" by Robert Germaux with Book Excerpt and Giveaway

I LOVE detective novels and am always on the lookout for new books in the genre. Author Robert Germaux has just released his fifth book, "One by One", and, judging from the Chapter One book excerpt below, it promises to be a thrilling read. 

This isn't the first detective novel Germaux has written. I read and LOVED "Small Talk", Germaux's previous super sleuth story, so I have high hopes for One by One. Perhaps a book review is on the horizon? In the meantime, scroll down to the Chapter One book excerpt to get a glimpse of what's between the pages of One by One!

Print Length: 342 pages

Publisher: Robert Germaux (May 26, 2017)

Publication Date: May 26, 2017

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

ASIN: B071PBX39B

  

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The victims appear to have had nothing in common, other than the fact that, as one officer put it, somebody wanted them dead. And that somebody left a “clue” at each crime scene, but as those clues began to accumulate, Detective Daniel Hayes and his hand-picked squad soon discovered that the clues appeared to have even less in common than did the victims. 

In order to catch his prey, Daniel realizes he has to change his focus and concentrate on an entirely different aspect of the case by following a twisting trail that eventually leads to a face-to-face encounter with the killer.

PURCHASE ONE BY ONE ON AMAZON HERE

ABOUT ROBERT GERMAUX:

Both my parents were readers. I'm talking stacks-of-books-on-their-nightstands readers. So it's no surprise that an early age, I, too, became an avid reader. Everything from sports books (especially baseball) to Nancy Drew to the Hardy Boys to almost anything about distant and exotic places. And although I've always enjoyed putting words on paper, the writer in me didn't fully emerge until I retired after three decades of teaching high school English. I quickly wrote two books aimed at middle school readers, at which point my wife urged me to try a novel for adults. As is usually the case, Cynthia's idea was a good one. Over the next few years, I wrote several books about Pittsburgh private eye Jeremy Barnes, including "Hard Court." Along the way, I took a brief hiatus from the detective genre to write "The Backup Husband," the plot line of which came to me one day when I was playing the What-if game. On that particular day, the question that occurred to me was, What if a woman suddenly realized she might be in love with two wonderful men? After "The Backup Husband," I wrote "Small Talk," my first novel about Pittsburgh police detective Daniel Hayes. I then switched gears again with "Grammar Sex (and other stuff)," a book of humorous essays. Now I’m back with "One by One," the second Daniel Hayes mystery, which will be released on June 1st. You can find all of my books on my Amazon Author Page.

In our spare time, Cynthia and I enjoy reading (of course), seeing Broadway plays and musicals, watching reruns of our favorite TV shows, such as "Sports Night" and "The Gilmore Girls," and traveling to some of those distant and exotic places I used to read about as a child. So far, we've been fortunate enough to walk in the sands of Waikiki, swim in the warm waters of the South Pacific and enjoy a romantic dinner in Paris.

I love interacting with my readers and getting their input on my stories and characters. Please feel free to contact me on my website.

~CHAPTER ONE~

Ellen Tishler was killed in her home in Hampton Township, about twelve miles north of Pittsburgh, but still within Allegheny County. My team works out of Zone 3 in the city, so in the normal course of events, we wouldn’t have had anything to do with the case. We were called in because the chief of police in Hampton thought it might be something SAS should be handling.

The chief’s name was Benjamin Roberts. He was a shade under six feet, with dark hair cut very short and the beginnings of a little potbelly, but still in good shape for a guy chasing sixty. His uniform was neat and clean, his tie perfectly knotted, his shoes spit-shined. Ex-military, I was guessing. Roberts had a reputation for being old school all the way. He even conducted inspections at the start of most shifts. He also had a reputation as one of the sharpest cops in the county.

It was three o’clock on a sunny September afternoon when Henry and I arrived at the two-story brick colonial on Edgerton Drive in the upper-middle class neighborhood. The chief greeted us at the door.

“Ben Roberts,” he said, shaking my hand. “Thanks for coming, Detective Hayes.”

“It’s Daniel,” I told him. “And this is my partner, Henry Reynolds.”

Roberts nodded at Henry, then motioned for us to enter the house.

“I appreciate you gentlemen driving out here,” he said. “I hope I’m not wasting your time.”

“You’re not,” I said. The three of us were standing in a small foyer. I could hear people talking and moving around in what I assumed was the living room, down the short hallway and to the left.

“When you called,” I said, “you indicated you thought this might be a case for the Special Assignments Squad.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Crime scene’s got kind of a weird look to it. My department doesn’t handle many major crimes, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t your run-of-the-mill homicide. Anyway, c’mon in and have a look.” He led us down the hall and around the corner, and Henry and I got our first look at Ellen. 

If it wasn’t for the small hole in the middle of her forehead, it would have been easy to assume that she had simply dozed off while reading that month’s issue of Beautiful Homes, which was lying on the floor next to the large floral-patterned wingchair. Ellen was slumped in the chair, her head tilted to one side, her right hand dangling over the armrest. Her eyes were closed, and there was no noticeable blood.

“Small caliber,” I said. “Maybe a twenty-two.”

Roberts nodded and said, “That’s what I was thinking. Probably a revolver.”

“So no shell casings,” I said.

“And no exit wound,” said Roberts. “Bullet must have bounced around in her head a bit. We’ll find what’s left of it at autopsy.” He shrugged. “Might not be enough to identify or match. We’ll see.”

Henry and I stood for a minute to take in the scene. Ellen appeared to be in her mid-to-late seventies. She was wearing an expensive-looking dark green pants suit, with low-heeled brown shoes. Her white hair was nicely coiffed, as though she’d recently been to a salon, and there was a string of pearls around her neck. I doubted if this was how she dressed for an afternoon at home.

“Who found the body?” I said.

“Next door neighbor, woman named Alice Cloakley. She and the deceased were supposed to go out for lunch today. Ms. Cloakley came over around noon, found the front door ajar, came in and discovered the body.”

“Ms. Cloakley still around?” asked Henry.

Roberts nodded towards the back of the house.

“She’s on the patio. I figured you’d want to talk to her.” He paused, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “There’s something else. It’s the main reason I contacted you.”

He’d been carrying a large plastic evidence bag, and now he held it up for Henry and me to see.
“We found this on the body.

~ENTER THE GIVEAWAY~

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Interview with Author Robert Germaux

Today, we're welcoming author Robert Germaux to the DIY Mom Blog. Robert is the author of four books, all available on Amazon. He's here to chat about his writing process and his newest book, Grammar Sex and Other Stuff, which is a short story collection. Welcome, Robert!

In your own words, please tell us about Grammar Sex and Other Stuff:

As I say in the blurb for the book, it’s one man’s take on life’s little moments, minor annoyances and unexpected delights.

This book is a change from your previous books. What made you change things up?

I’ve enjoyed reading a couple of local newspaper columnists for several years. At some point, my wife suggested I try writing some essays myself, with an eye towards having enough for a book. So to anyone who enjoys the book, you can thank Cynthia for planting the idea in my head.

So I have to ask…was including the word “sex” a deliberate attempt to grab the attention of potential readers? Oh, definitely, and the fact that you asked that question means it worked, right?

Actually a year or so ago, when I was writing my first guest post, a friend suggested I come up with a “catchy” title. Since I had used the expression “grammar sex” in “The Backup Husband,” I decided to use the term in the title of the post. Incidentally, that piece is one of the essays included in this book.

I love slice-of-life stories and Grammar Sex and Other Stuff certainly fits that category. How did you manage to recall all of your awesome stories? Do you keep a folder or do you just have an incredible memory?

I do have a good memory, but not that good. One thing that helped, especially with the essays related to vacations Cynthia and I have taken, is that I’m big on taking notes. When we’re on vacation, I take a few minutes every evening and jot down notes about what we did that day. After we get home, I use the notes to write what amounts to a daily diary of our trip. I put that diary with the photo album of the trip, and then we’ll get it out every few years and relieve all those wonderful moments. As for the essays that aren’t trip-related, anything I can’t remember on my own, I can usually get help from Cynthia or, in some cases, family members, especially my sister Barb, who’s become sort of our family historian.

Speaking of awesome stories, what do you think makes an interesting story?

For me, it has to be something that I can relate to in some way. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something I have personal experience with, as long as the author writes well enough to grab my attention. That pertains to fiction, but I also enjoy reading autobiographies.

What kinds of books are in your personal library?

I like detective novels, of course, but also other genres, anything that is well-written and captures my interest. I particularly enjoy stories that inform me about other countries and cultures.

Do you have a book genre/writing preference – fiction or non-fiction? Definitely fiction.

I loved writing “Grammar Sex and Other Stuff,” but I prefer writing about my private detective, Jeremy Barnes, or my police detective, Daniel Hayes, both of whom work in Pittsburgh. As soon as I sit down and start a new chapter about either Jeremy or Daniel, I’m right back in the world that I created for that book. I just lose myself in it.

Do you have any new books in the works?

Yes, I do. I’ve completed “One by One,” the next book about Daniel Hayes. It will be available not too long from now. And I’ll also be releasing at least one more Jeremy Barnes novel later this year.

How can readers connect with you?

You can always reach me at my Amazon Author Page. I love interacting with my readers.

Since you have now had several published books completed, what advice would you give aspiring authors?

The most important thing is to keep writing (and rewriting). Equally important is to find at least one person whose opinion you trust. Ask that person to read everything you write and give you an honest take on it. In my case, that person is Cynthia. She knows my characters, my writing style and, well, me better than anyone else in the world. When she offers a suggestion, I end up taking it 99% of the time.

###

ABOUT ROBERT GERMAUX

Robert Germaux and his wife Cynthia live outside of Pittsburgh. After three decades as a high school English teacher, and now a good many years into retirement, he is beginning to have serious doubts about his lifelong dream of pitching for the Pirates. Grammar Sex and Other Stuff is Bob’s first non-fiction book. You can find links to his first three novels (The Backup Husband, Small Talk and Hard Court) at his Amazon Author Page.

New Detective Novel by Robert Germaux Is Well Worth the Read. Get a FREE Sample of the Author's Work Here and Enter the Giveaway

·                     File Size: 638 KB

·                     Print Length: 253 pages

·                     Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited

·                     Publisher: Robert T. Germaux (April 6, 2016)

·                     Publication Date: April 6, 2016

·                     Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

·                     Language: English

·                     ASIN: B01DX54ZFO

ABOUT HARD COURT:

Miles Bradshaw, the dot-com billionaire owner of Pittsburgh’s first NBA franchise, hires private detective Jeremy Barnes to look into what appears to be a simple case of harassment of one of the team’s players. But when Jeremy (JB to his friends) begins his investigation, the case proves to be anything but simple, eventually involving a local businessman with suspected criminal ties, a major FBI task force, a computer geek in California and a mob boss in Erie. Along the way, JB, who can quote Shakespeare as quickly and easily as he can land a solid left jab, uses his wits and his ever-present sense of humor to wend his way through a cast of characters who range from the ridiculously inept to the ruthlessly lethal. 

As Hard Court unfolds, there are numerous surprises and plot twists, culminating in a dramatic confrontation that neither JB nor the reader could have predicted. 

PURCHASE HARD COURT ON AMAZON

ABOUT ROBERT GERMAUX:

Both my parents were readers. I'm talking stacks-of-books-on-their-nightstands readers. So it's no surprise that at an early age, I, too, became an avid reader. Everything from sports books (especially baseball) to Nancy Drew to the Hardy Boys to almost anything about distant and exotic places.

Although I've always enjoyed putting words on paper, the writer in me didn't fully emerge until I retired after three decades of teaching high school English. I quickly wrote two books aimed at middle school readers, at which point my wife urged me to try a novel for adults. As is usually the case, Cynthia's idea was a good one.

Over the next few years, I wrote several books about Pittsburgh private eye Jeremy Barnes. I took a brief hiatus from the detective genre to write Small Talk and The Backup Husband. Now I’m back and I just released my first Jeremy Barnes novel, Hard Court, on April 11.

In our spare time, Cynthia and I enjoy reading (of course), going to live theater productions, watching reruns of favorite TV shows such as "Sports Night" and "Gilmore Girls," and traveling to some of those distant and exotic places I used to read about as a child. So far, we've been fortunate enough to walk in the sands of Waikiki, swim in the warm waters of the South Pacific and share a romantic dinner in Paris.

I love interacting with my readers and getting their input on my characters and stories. Please feel free to contact me via my website and connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD!

READ "LOGAN - A JEREMY BARNES SHORT STORY" HERE

Book Tour Hosted by My Book Tour

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: 

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New Detective Novel to Add to Your TBR List - Hard Court by Robert Germaux Cover Reveal

Author Robert Germaux is releasing his third novel, Hard Court, on April 11, 2016, and we have the Cover Reveal here!

ABOUT HARD COURT:

Miles Bradshaw, the dot-com billionaire owner of Pittsburgh’s first NBA franchise, hires private detective Jeremy Barnes to look into what appears to be a simple case of harassment of one of the team’s players.  But when Jeremy (JB to his friends) begins his investigation, the case proves to be anything but simple, eventually involving a local businessman with suspected criminal ties, a major FBI task force, a computer geek in California and a mob boss in Erie. 

Along the way, JB, who can quote Shakespeare as quickly and easily as he can land a solid left jab, uses his wits and his ever-present sense of humor to wend his way through a cast of characters who range from the ridiculously inept to the ruthlessly lethal.

As Hard Court unfolds, there are numerous surprises and plot twists, culminating in a dramatic confrontation that neither JB nor the reader could have predicted.

ABOUT ROBERT GERMAUX

Both my parents were readers. I'm talking stacks-of-books-on-their-nightstands readers. So it's no surprise that at an early age, I, too, became an avid reader. Everything from sports books (especially baseball) to Nancy Drew to the Hardy Boys to almost anything about distant and exotic places.

Although I've always enjoyed putting words on paper, the writer in me didn't fully emerge until I retired after three decades of teaching high school English. I quickly wrote two books aimed at middle school readers, at which point my wife urged me to try a novel for adults. As is usually the case, Cynthia's idea was a good one.

Over the next few years, I wrote several books about Pittsburgh private eye Jeremy Barnes. I took a brief hiatus from the detective genre to write Small Talk and The Backup Husband. Now I’m back and will be releasing my first Jeremy Barnes novel, Hard Court, on April 11.

In our spare time, Cynthia and I enjoy reading (of course), going to live theater productions, watching reruns of favorite TV shows such as "Sports Night" and "Gilmore Girls," and traveling to some of those distant and exotic places I used to read about as a child. So far, we've been fortunate enough to walk in the sands of Waikiki, swim in the warm waters of the South Pacific and share a romantic dinner in Paris.

I love interacting with my readers and getting their input on my characters and stories. Please feel free to contact me via my website.

READ THE "HARD COURT" PRESS RELEASE HERE

*Cover Reveal media prepared by My Book Tour

Get Free eBooks to Review: Small Talk by Robert Germaux

If you love to read as much as I do then you just might be interested in this new website: Get Free eBooks for Review. You can receive FREE eBooks, to add to your collection, in exchange for your honest book review. We've just added Robert Germaux's exciting crime novel, Small Talk, and I can personally vouch for it. I gave it 5 well-deserved stars!




Read more about this new program here:

Get Free eBooks to Review: Small Talk by Robert Germaux: Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense Print Length: 266 Pages Available for Purchase:   Amazon ABOUT "SMALL TALK" : A se...